Grand Research Questions in the Solid-Earth Sciences

固体地球科学的研究人员往往在专门的子学科中从事高度具体的项目。这些项目背后的基础研究问题通常是用非常详细的技术术语暗示或陈述的。这将是一个重大的挑战，超越这些子学科，并确定一个简短的“大”问题列表，推动整个领域。国家研究理事会目前的研究将设法通过仔细选择一个固体地球科学和有关学科的专家委员会来克服这一挑战。委员会成员将是受人尊敬的个人，他们以广泛思考和超越个人专业而闻名。其中一些人将成为美国国家科学院的成员。其他人将是年轻的科学家（包括代表性不足的群体的成员），他们对该领域应该如何发展有新的想法。将包括一名科学作家，以确保该领域以外的科学家以及感兴趣的公众都能理解这些结果。这项活动的目的是向包括国会议员和一般公众在内的非专业人士宣传固体地球科学基础研究的兴奋之情。驱动该领域的研究问题是广泛的，需要一个强大的基础研究计划来回答。如果这些问题能够以一种鼓舞人心的方式提出，并且使用最少的术语，它们可能有助于吸引学生进入这个领域，或者帮助机构经理向国会、政府和公众描述和推广他们的地球科学项目。这一行动，加上核管理委员会报告的广泛印刷和电子传播，最终可能导致提高该领域的知名度。

Researchers in the solid-Earth sciences tend to work on highly specific projects in specialized sub-disciplines. The fundamental research questions underlying these projects are often implied or stated in highly detailed, technical terms. It will be a significant challenge to think beyond these sub-disciplines and identify a short list of "big" questions driving the field as a whole. The present study by the National Research Council would seek to overcome this challenge by careful choice of a committee of experts in the solid Earth science and related disciplines. Committee members will be well-respected individuals who have a reputation of thinking broadly and beyond their individual specialties. Some will be members of the National Academy of Sciences. Others will be young scientists (including members of under-represented groups) with new ideas on how the field should evolve. A science writer will be included to ensure that the results are understandable to scientists outside of the field as well as to the interested public. This activity is aimed at communicating the excitement of basic research in the solid-Earth sciences to non-specialists, including members of Congress and the general public. The research questions driving the field are broad, and require a strong program of basic research to be answered. If the questions can be stated in an inspiring way and with a minimum of jargon, they may help attract students to the field and/or assist agency managers to describe and promote their Earth-science programs to Congress, the administration, and the public. This action, combined with wide print and electronic dissemination of the NRC report, could ultimately lead to increased visibility of the field.